California · mechanics lien · for subcontractors & suppliers
California mechanics lien deadline
20-day preliminary notice + 90-day lien deadline. CA gives a sub two hard clocks: 20 days from first work to serve the preliminary notice, then 90 days from project completion to record the lien.
Your deadlines (computed live)
| Deadline | Due (sample) | Days left | Statute |
|---|---|---|---|
| Mechanics Lien recording deadline A subcontractor must RECORD the mechanics lien within 90 days after completion of the whole project — UNLESS the owner records a Notice of Completion or Cessation, which shortens a sub's window to 30 days after that recording. Direct (general) contractors get 60 days after a Notice of Completion. |
2026-08-02 | 40 d | Cal. Civ. Code § 8412 (claimant other than direct contractor), § 8414 |
| 20-day Preliminary Notice A subcontractor/supplier MUST serve a California Preliminary Notice within 20 days of first furnishing labor or materials. Serve it late and your lien is limited to work done in the 20 days BEFORE the notice (and after) — earlier work drops off. This is the clock most subs miss. |
2026-05-04 | -50 d | Cal. Civ. Code § 8204, § 8410, § 8412 |
| Lawsuit to foreclose the lien After recording, you must FILE SUIT to enforce (foreclose) the lien within 90 days of recording it, or the lien expires automatically. |
— | — | Cal. Civ. Code § 8460 |
⏱️ Track THIS job's clock — free
Don't trust a calculator you have to re-open. Enter your job once; we watch the clock and alert you as the window closes (14 / 7 / 5 / 3 / 1 days out) — with the dollars at risk. The free number above is the easy part; not getting reminded the week it's due is how subs lose six-figure liens.
How the California clock works
- 20-day Preliminary Notice — A subcontractor/supplier MUST serve a California Preliminary Notice within 20 days of first furnishing labor or materials. Serve it late and your lien is limited to work done in the 20 days BEFORE the notice (and after) — earlier work drops off. This is the clock most subs miss. [Cal. Civ. Code § 8204, § 8410, § 8412]
- Mechanics Lien recording deadline — A subcontractor must RECORD the mechanics lien within 90 days after completion of the whole project — UNLESS the owner records a Notice of Completion or Cessation, which shortens a sub's window to 30 days after that recording. Direct (general) contractors get 60 days after a Notice of Completion. [Cal. Civ. Code § 8412 (claimant other than direct contractor), § 8414]
- Lawsuit to foreclose the lien — After recording, you must FILE SUIT to enforce (foreclose) the lien within 90 days of recording it, or the lien expires automatically. [Cal. Civ. Code § 8460]
This is an informational deadline tool, not legal advice and not a law firm. Mechanics-lien deadlines turn on facts (exact trigger date, project type, public vs private, owner-occupied status, notices recorded by others) that can shift these dates. Confirm your dates with a licensed construction attorney in your state before relying on them. We compute the statutory window from the dates you enter; we do not verify your facts.
Targets: "california mechanics lien deadline", "california preliminary notice deadline", "how long to file a lien california", "did I miss my lien deadline california". Other states: CA · TX · FL.